Pittsburgh Steelers throwback uniforms made my retinas burst

As they say, the socks make the uniform...

Seriously, who thought this was a good idea?  In the past, I have written about the excellent throwback uniforms worn by some NFL teams (among them the New England Patriots, Tennessee Titans, San Diego Chargers, and Chicago Bears).  However, the limits of good taste were pushed by the Steelers today.

What do the players look like most?  Bumble bees?  Pirates?  Prisoners on a chain gang?  Guys who ate too many eggs and just couldn't keep them down?

At a time when Hurricane Sandy is punishing the Northeast, the last thing the poor beleaguered people of that region needed was this.  Disposing of them at a public bonfire might be a good idea.

Bears game likely to be one of the Titans’ biggest challenges so far

This week, the Tennessee Titans go to Chicago to play the Bears in an attempt to go 9-0. Chicago is a notorious place to play as Titans' coach Jeff Fisher knows first hand because he played for the Bears.

The Bears are coming off a sloppy win against winless Detroit. For the last few years, the team has been known for a stout defense and a limp noodle offense. In recent weeks, the offense has come to life behind quarterback Kyle Orton, but that all became muddled last week when Orton injured his ankle.

Initial reports said he would be out for several weeks, but some recent media reports indicate he could play Sunday. If he doesn't play, Rex Grossman will get the start. Of course, Grossman quarterbacked the Bears to the Super Bowl a couple of years ago, but he has shown a gift for making huge mistakes at the worst possible time.

As for the Titans, the road is getting tougher. Five of the remaining eight regular season games are on the road, starting with this game. They can be forgiven for playing sloppy last week against the Packers because they were obviously tired after playing on Monday night the previous week. However, both the offense and defense will need to take it up a notch this week.

As we know, all streaks must end. I think that is the case with the Titans this week. I can't quite put my finger on the reason. It's more of a gut feeling.

Besides, defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth is on the cover of Sport's Illustrated this week. Will he become another victim of the SI cover jinx? The article about him is good though.

The pick: Chicago 23 Tennessee 21

Other NFL picks: Arizona over San Francisco, Pittsburgh over Indianapolis, Miami over Seattle, Minnesota over Green Bay, Carolina over Oakland

Last week: 5-2 (.714), Overall: 33-20 (.623)